Terminal for pneumatic-despatch-tube apparatus.



.No. 685,824; Paiented Nov. 5, l90|.

J. T. cowuav. A TERMINAL FUR PNEUMATIC DESPATCH TUBE APPARATUS.

(Application filed Aug. 1 1 1900.) (N o M o d e l Patented Nov. 5, I90l.J. T. COWLEY. TERMINAL FOR PNEUMATIC DESPATGH TUBE APPABATUS.

A ueacim'mea Aug. 11, 1900.

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was "cams UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES T. COWLEY, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LAMSONCONSOLIDATED STORE SERVICE COMPANY, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATIONOF NEW JERSEY.

TERMINAL FOR PN EU MATlC-DE-SPATCH-TU BE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 685,824, datedNovember 5, 1901. Application filed August 11,1900- Serial No. 26,584.(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES T. COWLEY, of Lowell, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Terminals for Pneumatic Despatch Tube Apparatus,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved terminal for pneumatic-despatch-tubeapparatus.

One object of my invention is to regulate the air-pressure in theapparatus.

Another object is to provide an improved terminal which is adapted forconnection with transmissiontubes comingin either direction.

A further object is to decrease the friction between the carrier and thetube as the carrier passes from the terminal.

My invention consists of certain novel features hereinafter described,and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a construction embodyingmy invention, Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of aterminal and cooperating parts embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the transmitting-tube coming from the oppositedirection from that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa detail sectional view ofthe terminal in which carriers are received from the transmitting-tubeand pass to the delivery-chute in front of the cashier. Fig. 4 is adetail view showing mechanism for regulating the wind-gate. Fig. 5 is adetail front View showing a screen for discharging onto the cashiersdesk coin or other articles which may accidentally leave thecarrierduring transmission.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

The transmission-tube C is clamped by the upper bolts T to the terminalA, composed of two sections X and X, to the latter of which is clampedthe delivery-chute 13 by the lower bolts T and into which the carriersWV are received and pass to the cashier. Atthe entrance of the section Xof the terminal A is pivoted at E the valve D and normally held closedby atmospheric pressure due to the partial vacuum formed by the suctionthrough the return suction tube F. This valve opens under the impactofthe carriers, which pass over the mouth of the tube F at right anglesthereto, and after they have passed the valve is closed by the suctionof the air through said tube F, which leads from the terminal Atransversely to the line of travel of the carriers, while the carriersare guided to the chute B by the section X, which thus formsa guidewayfor the carriers to said chute B. On the lower end of the returntube Fis secured a casting G, fast to the desk H, and on the front end of saidcasting is located a pivoted door J, normally closed by the suction ofthe air passing down through the pipes F and I. Within this casting islocated the screen K, which rests at its upper part K against the underside of the tube F and the lower part bears against the pin K Thisscreen is inserted by pressing the upper part into the position shown inFig. 1 and then springing the lower part over the pin K and the screenis held in this manner, as shown in Fig. 1. This screen directs anycoins or other articles which may have accidentally left the carrierduring transmission onto the desk Hupon the opening ofthedoorJ. Locatedacross the casting G is a valve L, secured on the shaft M, which extendsacross the casting and is jonrnaled thereon, and one end is providedwith a nut M and a flat spring M, and upon tightening up the nut M thefriction thus formed holds the valve in the position at which it is set.On the other end of the shaft M is secured the handle N, provided witha'pin R, which is adapted to contact with a shoulder Q on the plate Qwhen turned to its open position, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1. Thisplate Q is provided with a slot P and a set-screw Q, and by looseningsaid screw and shifting the plate Q the position of the shoulder Q maybe changed, and upon tightening the screw Q the valve will be opened tothe desired point-as, for

instance, on a long line the valve would be opened more than on a shortline-and also in case another line is added to the system the plate isadjusted so that the valve may be opened further in order to allow theproper volume of air to transmit the carrier.

said section is provided with asuitable open-' ing 0, closed by a cap P,clamped in its position by the bolts T which also clamp the upper end ofthe tube F. A sleeve S is located between said openings 0 O in thechamber X of the section X and is provided with an opening S, throughwhich air is drawn into- The the chamber X and the return-tube F. partsshown in Fig. 2 are substantially the same as those shown in Fig. l,excepting the arrangement, and that consists in locating the terminal Ain a reversed position to that shown in Fig. 1, so asto connect thetransmission-tubes coming in the direction opposite to that indicated inFig. 1. By this arrangement all the tubes entering the cashiers stationfrom either direction pass into the chutes B in front of the cashierswho are stationed at the left of the desk H. In the terminal A (shown inFig. 2) the cap P is on the under side of the terminal and the opening 0on the top of the terminal, whereas in Fig. 1 the opening 0 is on theunder side of the terminal and the cap P is on the top side of theterminal. The chute B is held in position by the clamp U, secured bybolts on the returntube F and said delivery-chute B.

It frequently happens that a number of carriers are in the terminal atthe sametime, and the valve D, allowing the discharge of the carriers,is held open for some time. When this occurs, the rear carriers are heldback by the suction of the air passing in through the open valve anddown through the tube F, and the 1 carriers are stopped owing to thissuction. \Vh'en this happens and the valve D-is held open, it isnecessary to shut off the air through the tube F. in order that thecarrier may be allowed to deliver. This is accomplished by closing thevalve L, and after the carrier is delivered the valve L is opened again.The

pin R on the handle N will regulate the dis-' tance the valve will open,as previously described. The chamber G islocatedon the top of the desk Hineasy reach of the operator, so that the valve L will be readilyclosedand also so that the adjustment maybeeasy and convenient, and thelocation of this chamber on top of the desk guides the coin or otherarticles which may have been'dropped from the carrier within reach ofthecashier.

The openings 0 -O' on the opposite sides of the terminal-section X arearranged as shown -in order that the tube F may be connected to eitherside, as desired, and the connection may be made by thewprkmau when thesys- -ten1 is installed and the tube'F connected with either opening, asdesired, and the cap inserted in the unused opening, thus simplif yin gthe arran gemen t by requiring less parts to the device and requiringbut one pattern for the terminal without regard to the connection withtubes coming from either direction. The openings S in'the sleeve S vary,as shown in Fig.- 3, for the following reason: The air passing throughthe terminal X and down through the tube F tends to direct the carriertoward the tube F. In order to overcome this tendency, the openings Sare larger at the upper side than they are at the lower side in orderthat a greater volume of air may pass through the upper part of theopenings than through the lower part, and

the effect of this construction is to. lift the 'theopenings S into thesection X.

Having thus ascertained the nature of my invention and set forth aconstruction embodying the same, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal connected to said tube and having two openings, a suction-tubeconnected'to one of said openings, and a cap closing the other opening.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal. connected to said tube and having twoopenings, a suction-tubeconnected to one of said openings, a removable cap closing the otheropening, and means for holding said cap in place.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal connected to said tube, a suction-tube communicating with saidterminal, and meansin said terminal for decreasingthe friction ot'thecarrier traveling through said terminal.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal connected to said tube, a suction-tubecommunh eating with saidterminal, and a series of graduated openings in said terminal throughwhich air is drawn into the suction-tube for decreasing the friction ofthe carrier traveling through said terminal.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal connected to said tube, a suction-tube communicating with saidterminal, a valve in said terminalnormally closed and adapted to beopened by the impact ofthe carriers, a chute connected to said terminaland into which the carriers passafter opening said valve, and

stationary means located beyond said valve for guiding the carriers intosaid chute after they have opened and passed said valve.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminalconnected to said tube, a suction-tube connected to saidterminal and leading therefrom transversely to the line of travel of thecarriers through'the terminal, a valve located in said suction tube, ahandle for operating said valve, adjustable means for regulating theopening to said valve and controlling the extent of movement of saidhandle, and a chute into which the carriers pass from said terminal.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal connected to said tube, a suction-tube connected to saidterminal, a valve located in said suction-tube, a handle for operatingsaid valve, a pin on said handle, and means consisting of an adjustableplate having a shoulder with which said pin engages for varying theextent to which the valve may be opened.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal connected to said tube, a suction-tube communieating with saidterminal, a valve in said terminal' normally closed and adapted to be.

opened by the impact of the carriers, a sleeve located in said terminalover the mouth of said suction-tube and provided with a series ofgraduated openings through which the air passes to said suction-tube, achute secured to said terminal and into which the carriers pass afteropening said valve, and stationary means located beyond said valve forguiding the carriers into said chute after they have opened and passedsaid valve.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal connected to said tube, a suction-tube communieating with saidterminal, and a sleeve located in said terminal over the mouth of saidsuction-tube and provided with a series of graduated openings increasingin size from the bottom to the top and through which the air passes tosaid suction-tube.

10. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a transmission-tube, aterminal connected to said tube, a suction-tube communicating with saidterminal and leading therefrom transversely to the line of travel of thecarriers through the terminal, means for establishing communicationbetween said suction-tube and said terminal, means for guiding thecarriers past said suction-tube, a valve in said terminal normallyclosed and adapted to be opened by the impact of the carriers, a chutesecured to said terminal and into which the carriers pass after openingsaid valve, and stationary means located be yond said valve for guidingthe carriers into said chute after they have passed said valve.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal connected to said tube, a suction-tube communicating with saidterminal and leading therefrom transversely to the line of travel of thecarriers through the terminal, means for establishin g communicationbetween said suction-tube and said terminal, means for guiding thecarriers past said suction-tube, a pivoted valve in said terminalnormally closed and adapted to be opened by the impact of the carriers,and a chutesecured to said terminal and into which the carriers passafter opening said valve, and stationary means located beyond said valvefor guiding the carriers into said chute.

tube through a series of openings, means for guiding the carrier pastsaid suction-tube, a valve in said terminal normally closed and adaptedto beopened by the impact of the carriers, a chute secured to saidterminal and into which the carriers pass after opening said valve, andstationary means located beyond said valve for guiding the carriers intoI said chute after they have opened and passed said valve.

13. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal con nectedto said tube, a suction-tube communicating with saidterminal and leadin g therefrom transversely to the lineof travel of thecarriers Whose travel by the mouth of said suction-tube is at rightangles thereto, a valve in said terminal normally closed and adapted tobe opened by the impact of the carriers, a chute secured to saidterminal and into which the carriers pass after opening said valve; andstationary means located beyond said valve for guiding the carriersintosaid chute after they have opened and passed said valve.

14:. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal connected to said tube and having two opposite openings, asuction-tube connected to one of said openings and leading from saidterminal transversely to the line of travel ot the carriers through theterminal, a removable cap closing the other opening, and meansforholding said cap in place.

15. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal connected to said tube, a suction-tube connected to saidterminal and leading therefrom transversely to the line of travel of thecarriers through the terminal, a valve in said terminal normally closedand adapted to be opened by the impact of the carriers, a chute securedto said terminal and into which the discharged carriers pass afteropening said valve, and stationary means located beyond said valve forguiding the carriers into said chute after they have opened and passedsaid valve.

16. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal connected to said tube and having two openings, a suction-tubeconnected to one of said open ings, a cap closing the other opening, anda chute secured to said terminal andinto which the carriers pass fromsaid terminal.

17. In an apparatus of the character described, a transmission-tube, aterminal connected to said tube, a suction-tube communicating with saidterminal, a pivoted valve in said terminalnormally closed and adapted tobe opened by the impact of the carriers, a name to this specification,in the presence of chute connected, to said terminal and into twosubscribing witnesses, this 9th day of 10 which the carriers pass afteropening said August, A. D. 1900.

valve, and stationary means located beyond T said Valve for guiding thecarriers into said JAMES OOWLEX I chu'te after they have opened andpassed said WVitnesses: i valve. A. L. MESSER,

In testimony whereof I have signed my C. A. STEWART. a I

